SGL and Masstech announce plans for SMTPE archive tape standard

June 14, 2006

Today’s broadcasters face an operational and possibly financial impact because archive software companies use proprietary formats, so data tapes cannot be exchanged between different vendors. Understanding this, SGL and Masstech have submitted a request to SMPTE to have the issue assigned to committee for investigation. In parallel, the two companies are meeting informally to find commonality between their formats and seeking the participation of other archive management software companies in the broadcast field.

The intent of the SMPTE agreement would be to define an exchange format so that a video file written in this format would be readable by any archive management system. The format is also to be data tape drive independent.